Legacy of Help for the Marginalized

Justice, Law, History The Laws of Justice and Mercy Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5)  Deuteronomy 26:1-11 New International Version Firstfruits and Tithes 26 When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 3 and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us." 4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. 7 Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil, and oppression. 8 So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; 10 and now I bring the first fruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me." Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. 11 Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household. For Reflection Christians owe a lot to their Jewish forefathers. Despite the reluctance of some Hebrews to align themselves with the new Jesus Movement, much of their attitudes, beliefs, and values are embedded in the preferences for justice and peace professed by Christians. First, as scripture reveals, Jews recognized that economic injustices were a natural result of economic affairs. Perhaps a study of the conceptual principles of Old Testament economics can constructively advise the practice of business ethics. But, we must also acknowledge the dismal effects of runaway consumerism. Finally, we need to address the implications of how our current wealth affects our perceptions of our obligations to the marginalized. Pray Pray and let the Holy Spirit guide your life.  Pray and meditate on the needs of those whose financial struggles are a matter of life and death. Forward to a friend